Kakashi's reassuring words should have been enough. His presence should have been enough. But as Sakura lay in the hospital bed, she felt... dead.

She turned her head and saw Kakashi sleeping in a small bed for a companion. Her gaze traced the lines of Kakashi's unmasked face. He's... beautiful. There's no other words that she can find to describe him. She always wondered what is behind the mask, and now that she's seeing it, she found out that it was better than she thought before.

She wanted to have it... Every little thing that made her feel special just made her want him more. Who is she to want so much. Desire to be his everything. Who is she to be offered everything yet be so worthless all the same. She can't be selfish. But does he really deserve someone so... dead.

With precision that is expected of a medical ninja, such as herself, she carefully detached all wires that is attached to her body. She moved quietly in the room as she approach the sleeping man, she placed a soft kiss in his forehead and escaped through the window.

Kakashi jolted awake when a sudden chill traveled through his spine. He immediately sat up and saw the empty hospital bed.

Panic surged within him as he scanned the room, realizing that Sakura was nowhere to be found. The moonlight spilled through the window, casting a haunting glow over the empty space where she had been lying.

"Sakura?" Kakashi called out, his voice tinged with urgency. He rushed to the window, peering outside in the hope of catching a glimpse of her. His heart raced as he considered the possibility that she might have left the hospital.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. Sakura, burdened by her own struggles, had slipped away in the silence of the night. He cursed himself for not sensing her departure earlier, for not being more vigilant.

Kakashi hurriedly gathered his belongings, the weight of worry pressing on his shoulders. He had to find her, had to make sure she was safe. As he raced through the village, he couldn't shake the fear that she might be on the verge of breaking, and he needed to reach her before it was too late.

His search led him to familiar places, places that held significance for both of them. The training grounds, the cherry blossom tree where they had shared moments of reflection, and the bridge where their team had convened countless times.

The moon hung high in the sky as Kakashi finally caught sight of a body laying on the bridge. His steps hurried forward; hoping and praying that he was not too late.

"Sakura." He called out softly. But there is no response, not even a slightest move to indicate that she heard him.

He rushed to her side and saw that her pink locks covered her face, but the sight that startled him is her slit wrist. Blood in pooling on her arm, staining her pale skin and the tips of her pink hair.

Panic gripped Kakashi as he gently brushed Sakura's hair away, revealing the severity of the situation. He cursed under his breath, realizing that Sakura had not only left the hospital against medical advice but had also harmed herself.

"Sakura, why?" Kakashi whispered, his voice filled with a mix of anguish and desperation. He carefully cradled her slit wrist, trying to assess the extent of the damage. The moonlight illuminated the deep cuts on her arm.

Swiftly, Kakashi activated a healing jutsu to stem the bleeding. His heart pounded as he worked to mend the wounds, each movement driven by a sense of urgency. Sakura's unconscious form lay still, her face devoid of any emotion.

Once he stabilized the wound, Kakashi gently lifted Sakura into his arms. His steps were purposeful as he carried her back to the hospital, the weight of his guilt and worry heavy on his shoulders. He couldn't fathom what had pushed Sakura to this point, but he was determined to be there for her.

Back in the hospital room, Kakashi carefully laid Sakura on the bed, ensuring she was comfortable. He then took a seat by her side, his gaze fixed on her pale face. The moonlight cast a soft glow on the room, creating an ethereal ambiance.

"Sakura, please," Kakashi pleaded quietly. "You don't have to face this alone. I'm here for you. Let me help you carry this burden."

He remained vigilant throughout the night, watching over Sakura as she rested. The weight of the situation settled in his chest, and he vowed to do whatever it took to support her on the journey to healing.

He sat straighter when he saw that Sakura's eyes flutter and then it opened. Her eyes were scanning the room, confusion was evident in her eyes.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, Sakura."

Kakashi's voice was a mixture of relief and stern concern. Sakura blinked, slowly registering her surroundings. The pain in her wrist and the heaviness in her chest reminded her of the reality she was trying to escape.

"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered, her voice fragile. "I didn't want you to find me like that."

Kakashi reached for her uninjured hand, holding it gently. "Sakura, you don't have to carry this alone. Whatever you're going through, I want to help you. Please, let me in." He pleaded. He cannot erase the memory of her bloodied figure in the middle of the night.

Sakura's eyes welled up with tears as she looked into Kakashi's sincere gaze. The walls she had built to protect herself were crumbling, and she felt vulnerable. She didn't know how to face him, especially after what she had done.

"I'm broken, Kakashi. I don't know if I can be put back together," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kakashi's grip on her hand tightened. "You're not alone in this, Sakura. Healing takes time, and it's okay to feel broken right now. But you have people who care about you, and I'm one of them. Don't shut me out."

"How can you still say that?" Sakura asked. "How can you still feel that? How can you still manage to stay and look at me and not feel disgust?"

Kakashi sighed, the pain evident in his visible eye. "Sakura, what you're going through doesn't change how I feel about you. I care about you, not just when things are easy, but especially when they're not. Love isn't about perfection; it's about understanding, accepting, and supporting each other through the darkest moments. I'm here for you because I care, and I want to help you find your way back to yourself."

Sakura's tears fell freely as she listened to Kakashi's words. She wanted to believe him, to believe that someone could still care for her after what she had done to herself.

"But I'm so damaged, Kakashi. I don't even recognize myself anymore," Sakura admitted, her voice choked with emotion.

Kakashi cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. "Sakura, you're not defined by your scars or your mistakes. You're defined by the strength you've shown, the kindness you've shared, and the person you are at your core. I see that person, and I want to help her heal."

"You don't know how I feel."

"And I won't walk around pretending to understand it but it doesn't mean that I will stop trying to understand. But I know how difficult your mission was, Sakura. I know how you hoped for the best, but expected the worse. And even when you're expecting that, the experience will be much worst. No amount of preparation can make you ready for that." He said, staring at her eyes. "Seduction. That is the type of mission that I will never ever accept again. Because the first time I did, it shredded my soul. I don't know how big or deep the cut is, Sakura. But I somehow know the pain." Kakashi said, trying to make her understand that even how small, he can relate to the pain.

Sakura listened to Kakashi's words, the weight of his understanding sinking in. She felt a strange mix of vulnerability and comfort in his presence. It was a relief to know that he had experienced a similar mission, even if the details were different. There was a shared understanding that went beyond words.

"I don't know if I can ever come back from this," Sakura admitted, her voice barely audible. "I feel like I've lost a part of myself."

Kakashi sighed, his thumb gently caressing her cheek. "You don't have to rush the process, Sakura. Healing takes time, and it's okay not to have all the answers right now. What matters is that you're not alone. I'm here for you, and we'll figure this out together."

Sakura nodded, a mix of gratitude and uncertainty in her eyes. The journey ahead was daunting but having Kakashi by her side gave her a glimmer of hope.

"I'm sorry for leaving the hospital like that," she whispered, her gaze dropping to her bandaged wrist.

Kakashi shook his head. "Don't apologize, Sakura. Just don't scare me like that again." His eye gazed at the bandage in her wrist. "Just please don't do it again. I'm worried that next time, I will be too late. I lost too much already; I can't lose you in the same way that I lost my father.

Sakura's eyes softened as she looked at Kakashi, realizing the depth of his concern and the pain he had carried from his past. She reached for his hand with her bandaged one, intertwining her fingers with his.

"I won't do it again, Kakashi. I don't want to cause you more pain," Sakura promised, her voice filled with sincerity.

Kakashi nodded, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over him. "Thank you, Sakura. We'll face this together, one step at a time." he promised. "Okay?"

"Okay."

He pulled her close, setting her against him. Trying to pour his love into her. Sakura buried her face in his chest, inhaling his scent, his unique scent that made her heart happier.